HYDE PARK — Chicago Public Schools' move away from automatically harsh discipline for student misconduct has dramatically reduced the number of suspensions in middle and high schools, though black students continue to be suspended far more often and for far longer than any other group, according to a new study.
The study by the University of Chicago’s Consortium on Chicago School Research found that a move away from a zero-tolerance policy where administrators were required to harshly discipline students who acted up has cut down on the number of suspensions and reduced the amount of time kids are out of the classroom for misbehaving. The study applies to all CPS middle and high schools, including magnet schools, but not charter or alternative schools...